Revision

Techniques and

Tips

Effective Learning

Your ability to learn can be affected by many factors. Fill in the

spaces with what helps you learn.

Learning is

easier

when.....

Work is

planned

carefully

Time is

effectively

managed

You are

relaxed

Creating the right study environment

Find a quiet place where you can leave your notes etc. and

come back to them. This area should have a table or desk

and a comfortable chair. The area you choose should be well

lit and warm.

Keep all your study things together and ensure all notes are

well organised.

If you prefer to listen to music when revising, ensure it’s

not too distracting.

Having the right equipment

You will need the following:

1. A4 lined paper

2. Folders

3. A3 paper for posters and mind maps

4. Felt tips or coloured pencils

5. Highlighters

6. Pens

7. Pencils

8. School books including text books

9. Ruler

10. Subject specific equipment

11. Revision Timetable

Equipment you have

Equipment you need

Top Ten Revision Tips

1. Short bursts of revision (30-40 minutes) are

most effective. Your concentration lapses

after about an hour and you need to take a

short break (5-10 minutes).

2. Find a quiet place to revise-

your bedroom, school, the library, and refuse

to be interrupted or distracted.

3. Make sure you don’t just revise the

subjects and topics you like. Work on your

weaker ones as well.

4. Make your own revision notes because you will remember

what you have written down more easily. Stick key notes to

cupboards or doors so you see them every day.

5. Rewrite the key points of your revision

notes; read them out

loud to yourself. We

remember more than

twice as much of

what we say out loud

than of what we

merely read.

6. Use different techniques. Make your own

learning maps, use post-it notes to write key

Read and

answer

the

question

asked

Read the

whole

Paper

words on, create flashcards. Record

your notes on a podcast and listen to

them on your Ipod. Ask friends and

family to test you. Use highlighter pens

to mark important points. Chant or

make up a rap song.

7. Practise on past exam papers or

revision tests available on the web.

Initially do one section at a time and progress to doing an

entire paper against the clock.

8. You will need help at some stage, ask parents, siblings,

teachers or friends. Use websites specifically designed for

revision.

9. Don‘t get stressed out! Eat properly and get lots of sleep!

10. Believe in yourself and be positive. If you think you can

succeed you will; if you convince yourself that you will fail,

that’s what will probably happen.

Effective Revision

To be effective, revision must be:

Active- always work with a pen and

paper, look for key points, test yourself. Never just sit

down and read for a set period. Focus on tasks, not time.

Use your mocks

as guidance for

the real thing

If you just read notes you’ll only retain about 10% of the

information.

Organised- always ask yourself at the start of a

study session “what do I want to have completed

in this session?” Have a plan for what you want to

cover this week and month. Have an overview of

the priority areas in each subject.

Planning your time

Use the revision timetable provided, and think

about how much daily revision is achievable for you.

When using your timetable use lots of colour. Highlight

and colour block sections.

It is essential you take breaks when revising for

example: plan to do 45-60 minutes revision and then

allow yourself a 5-10 minute break

Prioritise your revision by the order of your exams.

Start with your closest exam or a subject you struggle

with.

Think about when you work best morning, afternoon or

evening and use this time effectively for revision.

Make to do lists to help you stay on track.

Make time for fun, relax, as this to will

help you meet your revision goals within

your set timeframes.

If there is something you don’t

understand or are struggling with, ask for help.

Improving Your Memory

Much of your revision relies on remembering what you have

studied over the last 2 years.

Here are a few ways to improve your memory:

1. Chunking

This is grouping items or information together into

memorable chunks. This allows you to remember more

easily and to link the smaller chunks to larger topics.

2. Repetition

This is a simple method. Just

repeat the information over and

over. It will sink in eventually.

Three times is often enough to help

remember a topic.

3. Linking

This involves linking words or

topics to things around you.

For example you could link a

topic to a song, a person or

even a piece of furniture. The idea is that it triggers

you brain to remembering the topic when you see the

item you linked it to.

4. Mnemonics

These are word games to help you to remember things.

Eg, Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain, to help you

remember the colours of the rainbow. Red, Orange,

Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Try using

different mnemonics for other topics.

Memory Magic

Whatever your personal learning style, there are memory techniques

that will make learning easier for you. There are some techniques

listed below. Remember repetition is key to memorising

information.

Revision Techniques

Note Taking:

Make your notes colourful.

Abbreviate sentences (ensure that you understand your

abbreviations)

Rewrite your notes several times then test yourself on what

you can remember without looking at your notes.

Compare what you have written and write anything you have

forgotten in a different colour.

Mind Mapping:

Use a blank sheet of paper; put your key word of

the topic you are revising in the middle.

Put the main topics on thicker branches coming from the

middle.

Then from your main topics use thinner branches to write

the smaller subtopics and details.

Include pictures as it’s easier to remember pictures.

http://www.slideshare.net/DamianGordon1/mindmaps-6276615

Flash Cards:

Use the flash cards provided and either draw or

write one word or image to help you recap your revision and

jog your memory on a topic.

Questions:

Try to improve your understanding and concentration

by asking yourself questions e.g. Who?

What?

When?

Where?

Why?

Posters:

Create colourful posters about what you are studying

you can use words or images.

Stick these posters up in your bedroom, study area,

wardrobes and anywhere else you can think of where you

spend time.

Practise exam questions/papers:

This is good for practising by answering similar

questions you may encounter in your exams.

Test Yourself:

After you have completed your revision, put away

all your notes and ask a friend to test you on what you

have learned. This is a good way to make revision more

interactive.

Physical Revision:

Try walking around the room as you read your

revision notes.

Act out the topic with a friend.

Read out your notes in a funny voice.

You could make a podcast or record yourself and play it

back to yourself as many times as necessary.

Try a dress rehearsal:

Complete at least one past exam paper for

each subject under exam conditions.

Consider which strategy you would apply to

each individual exam paper.

Think about timings for each question.

Think about the number of marks per question.

This will help your confidence levels and help you feel more

prepared for the real thing.

Review:

Look over topics regularly

Make a summary of the topic and look over it 10 minutes

later

Do 30 minutes with a 5 minute break and then review the

topic.

After a one hour memorising session:

10 minutes later revise the topic for 10 minutes

1 day later revise the topic for 5 minutes

1 week later revise the topic for 2-5 minutes

1 month later revise the topic for 2-5minutes

Before exams revise the topic as required

Each time knowledge is reinforced; it enters deeper

into the long term memory and becomes more stable.

The Examiners View

Examiners have identified the following as the most common

mistakes that students make in exams:

1. Not reading the question properly – you may have

revised a topic and have an answer ready. However, you

must make sure your answer is relevant to the question

on the exam paper not the question you have prepared

for.

2. Not finishing the paper – if you run out of time you will

miss out on marks. You must be disciplined with your

timings.

3. Repitition – Many students repeat the same point more

than once. You will only be awarded marks once for the

same point. This wastes time. Be careful to make your

point just once.

4. Missing part of the paper – Read the paper fully to

make sure that you don’t miss any of the questions and

valuable marks.

5. Rough Work – Any rough work or plans for answers

should be done in the margins or at the back of the

booklet.

Key Exam Terms (Command Words)

Account for: Explain the

process or reason for

something being the way it

is.

Discuss: Explore the subject

by looking at its advantages

and disadvantages. Attempt

to reach a judgement.

Analyse: Explore the main

ideas of the subject, show

how they are important and

how they are related.

Distinguish: Explain the

difference

Calculate: Find out using

mathematics

Estimate: Guess the amount

or value

Comment on: Discuss the

subject, explain it and give

an opinion on it.

Explain: Describe giving

reasons and causes

Compare: Show the

similarities (but you can also

point out differences).

Express: Put the ideas into

words.

Contrast: Show the

differences (but you can also

point out similarities).

Evaluate: Give an opinion by

exploring the good and bad

points

Clarify: Explain something,

make it clear why that is the

case

Factors: The circumstances

that will contribute to a

result.

Complete: Finish off Give an account of:

Describe how/why something

happened.

Conclude: Decide on

something after reasoning it

out.

Give reasons for: Explain

why something happened

using words like because

Concise: Short and brief Identify: Prove something as

being certain

Consider: Weigh up both

sides and reach an opinion

Illustrate: Show by

explaining and giving

examples

Criticise: Analyse and then

make an opinion or

judgement.

Indicate: Point out, make

something known.

Define: Give the meaning of

something.

Relate: Show the connection

between two things

Describe: Give a detailed

account

State: Write briefly the

main points.

Differentiate: Explore and

explain the difference.

Summarise: Give the main

points of an idea or

argument.

Interpret: Explain the

meaning by using examples

Trace: Show how something

has developed from beginning

and opinions. to end.

Justify: Give a good reason

for your opinion.

Outline: Concentrate on the

main reasons for something

happening.

List: An item by item record

of something.

Prove: Give real evidence, not

opinion, which proves an

argument and shows it to be

true.

Exam Strategy

1. Allow yourself the time to read the paper and the

questions. Don’t panic in the exam hall.

2. Remember what your teachers have taught you about

exam technique and subject content.

3. Read over your answer to avoid any simple mistakes.

4. Complete all the questions – never leave any out.

Answering Exam Questions

1. Scan all the questions.

2. Circle the questions you could answer.

3. Read these questions carefully.

4. Choose the correct number of questions in each section.

5. Decide an order: best answers first.

6. Divide your time, leaving more time for questions worth

most marks.

7. Underline or highlight the key words in the question.

8. Plan your answer.

9. Remain focussed on the question.

10. Refer back to the question regularly.

Maximising Your Performance on the Day

1. Get a good night’s sleep – You might be tempted to stay

up late and “cram” as much in as possible on the night

before the exam. In reality, an extra night cramming will

make very little difference in a two year course. You are

much better to get an early night. A rested brain is a more

effective brain.

2. Arrive in plenty of time – Aim to arrive at least 15

minutes before an exam starts. This will help you feel more

organised and prepared to enter the exam hall. Being

panicky and flustered on arrival will be counter-productive

to your exam performance.

3. Have your equipment ready – Know what you need for

each exam. Have it all ready the night before. Rushing

around looking for the right equipment just before the

exam will not be helpful.

4. Think Positively – Be positive about your ability and your

potential performance in the exam. Worry or being negative

will not help you to achieve your potential.

5. Maintain your focus – There can be a lot of hysteria,

panic and stress in the air in the build up to an exam. Try to

remove yourself from this. Find a quiet space and stay

focussed on what you have to do.

6. Beware of post-exam analysis – Don’t engage in the

discussion at the end of the exam about what answers you

gave and what went well. This will undoubtedly be negative

and make you worry about how you did.

Useful Websites

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revision

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize

www.s-cool.co.uk

www.projectgcse.co.uk

http://intranet.belperschool.co.uk/moodle/login/index.php

Good

Luck!!